The Wedding Planner

by Pavan Kaur

“I’m out, Tanya got me,” I hear Marc in my ear.

  "Don't worry I got her, she's out," Blake adds.

  "I have eyes on Emma," I tell them both, and they both start laughing. Slowly moving toward the trees, I see Blake, and we both get together.

  “Which way did they go?” Blake asks, looking carefully around us.

  “She was right here,” I look around. Where the hell did she go?

  "Hey pretty boy," I hear her shout. I look up toward the tree, and before I can shoot her, she shoots. Blake jumps in front of me. I look at Blake and by the time I look back up at the tree, Emma is gone.

  “I’m out.” Blake says letting Marc know what is happening. “Three o’clock,” Blake whispers to me before he walks away, and I turn and shoot.

  “Aime is out,” I look around to see if I can see Emma. “Come on buttercup, we both know you want me to win.”

  Aime walks past me. “I’m rooting for you,” and gives me a wink. I don’t trust the girls yet, but that did sound like she was on my side.

  I know Emma is within the trees somewhere, I have to find her now. Stopping against a tree, I listen for footsteps. I try to figure out where she can be. Quickly turning as I hear a noise, I shoot a lot of paintballs at nothing.

  “Hey, pretty boy.” I turn to see Emma standing in front of me smiling, but her smile fades when I smile back. “Why are you smiling? I win.”

  "Are you sure about that?" I ask. Playing this game with her for the last thirty mintues as taught me one thing, that she’s good and I have to be one step ahead of her. This one time I think I’ve finally got my win.

  Before she can say anything, I shoot. I shoot her with the paintball gun in my pocket. She doesn't know it’s there. I thought it was clever.

  Emma looks down at the paint splattered over her. “I’m out,” I hear her say to the other two girls, shaking her head as we walk over to the rest of the group.

  Once we are all back in our normal clothes, we head to the car park. “You girls fancy coming over for some fish and chips?” Blake asks them.

  They look at each other and Emma is the only one not saying anything. “Sure, I’m hungry after that game,” Tanya replies.

  "We have to say, you three are a lot better than others we have played against," I look over at Emma. "We had a bet, you owe me a date," I can't help but smile. Finally, I get what I want from her.

  “I’m free the third weekend in August,” she gives me a wink.

  “No, you said if I win, I get a date.”

  "Yes, and I've given you one. The bet was I go on a date with you. You never once said when that date had to be. I have to go on a date, so if you are free, I would love to go then."

  "Well, I did not see that coming," I hear Marc from behind me. I didn't see it coming either. She played me. Either way this game finished, I wasn't going to get my date until after the wedding.

  Throwing my car keys to Blake, "You guys go back to my place and Emma and I will go get the food." I don't have a reply for what she has said to me, and I'm still a little taken back with how my win suddenly became a loss.

  “Also, while you are out getting food, get me some cake,” Amie points at me. It looks like I’m going to have to show Emma my secret place.

  “Sure, cupcakes do?”

  "Yes, thanks," Tanya says walking over to the guys who are walking over to my car. I turn to face Emma watching me.

  “You knew from the start whether I won or lost I wasn’t going to get my date was I?”

  "I wasn't going on a date with you. After the wedding, I'm free and I won't have my boss annoying me. It's her rule that I can't date anyone in a wedding party," she tells me, and I finally understand the reason. Five months is a long time. All I want to do is kiss her, taste her. I've thought about her lips on mine for a long time now.

  “So you do want to do on a date with me?”

  “Shall we go get food? I will finally get to see where you get the best cakes I’ve ever had,” I follow her to her car. “Just tell me where to go.”

  Sitting in the car, I tell her the way to the cake shop and I tell her to park around back when she gets there. I was hoping to keep this place quiet from her for a little longer, but if I can get her to spend extra time with me, I will take it.

  She parks the car and looks around. We get out of the car and start walking towards the back door. I'm just about to open it when the backdoor opens. "Hey boss, I’m getting your order ready," Jake says.

  “Boss?” Emma looks at me.

  “Welcome to my business, Rivers Cakes.” I watch her look around the kitchen where I have three bakers and two members of staff looking after the front of the shop. “This is my baby,” I tell her as she looks around and peeks through the little window to look at the front. “Would you like to look out there?”

  “Please.”

  Opening the door, I give the staff a quick hello as I follow Emma around the door. “This is your business? It seems busy.”

  "It is. It used to be just me, three years ago. Then I did one wedding and everything changed for me. I needed help looking after this place. , I have a great staff and they know how I like things."

  “Can we get a coffee from here before we leave?” Emma looks up at the menu board. “You do the white chocolate latte too?”

  I can’t help but laugh at her excitement. “Truth is I only started them when I found out how much you liked it.” She brings her eyes back to me and says nothing.

  "Not just the latte, but the white chocolate cake too," Isla tells her as the last customer leaves the shop. I give Isla a look letting her know there are some things I didn't really want her to know about, but it might also work in my favor.

  "Two lattes, Isla, and help Jake with the cakes." I pull out the chair for Emma to sit down but her eyes are still on me. She’s watching me like I've done something wrong. "We can sit down while we wait," I tell her breaking her thoughts.

  Emma shakes away whatever she was thinking about, walks to the display shelf and stops by the white chocolate cake. I stand behind her. “Now I know that you like white chocolate, shall we take this one back?”

  “Did you make it?”

  "No, I haven't been in the shop until now." My lips are moving closer to her ear. I want to take in the sweet vanilla scent she has on.

  “Then no, I would rather have something you made, the cakes you sent me…”

  “I made every single one of them and I will continue to make every cake for you.” My lips brush against the skin between her neck and jaw. I know right then and there it was a mistake. My cock is hard as a rock.

  "I like your cakes," Emma whispers as I keep my mouth close to her. She tilts her head a little in order to face me. "I like them a lot." Is she talking about the cakes still? I have a very strong feeling she is talking about me.

  I place my hand on the left side of her waist. When she doesn't move, I take that as a good sign. Moving my finger slowly down her cheek, I nudge her chin to look at me. With just my touch, she takes in a sharp intake of breath and her lips part a little. My eyes move to hers and I see her looking at my lips. Emma looks away quickly.

  My eyes move back to her lips and I lean down. Her hand moves to my shoulder and I think it's to push me away, but a small sound escapes her. The taste of her beautiful lips overtakes my body. My hand moves to the back of her neck. I push my tongue toward her hoping that she will let me in. Her mouth opens for me, I kiss her deeply, gently and all I want to do is explore her more.. I pull her closer letting her know what she’s doing to me. I know she feels it.

  “Boss.” Quickly pulling away from Emma, I turn to face Jake. “The cupcakes are done now. You want anything else?”

  “No, just the two things I ordered.”

  Jake looks at Emma then back over to me. “I take it this is who the cakes are baked for early in the morning.” He winks at Emma then goes back to work.

  Perfect timing Jake. I'll admit my first kiss with Emma was not supposed to be in
the shop, where I know I could get interrupted, but I took the chance. I've had them before, but there was something about today that made it seem right. I would replay that kiss over and over again if I could.

  “Emma…”

  "I'm not going to say that was horrible, trust me it was far from it. But I can't date you Ocean." She touches her lips with her finger and smiles. I've done what I wanted, her to be thinking about me and that kiss. I know what she is saying and I understand it too. But I can't stay away from her. From the moment I picked her up in the club I've wanted her and I'm not stopping just yet.

  "Boss, your cakes and lattes," Isla says, stopping me from saying anything to Emma. I turn to face her looking at the cake again. She doesn’t takes the cake, even though he wants it. Any cake she wants from this moment on will be made by me.

  I never mentioned the kiss again. I didn't want to scare her away, so I just asked her about work on the way to my place. She loves her job. She doesn't love working where she is. She has a plan to open her own, but she said it would take her a while before she can afford everything. I told her she should leave her job before she starts hating it. With the way she reacted to that, I could see that no one has ever said that to her before. I think it gave her something to think about too.

  “Your cupcakes ladies,” I place the box on the table. Emma looks around, her eyes stopping on the family picture on the side table and she smiles.

  "These look so good," I hear Tanya from behind me. Leaning on the counter, I grab a beer and watch them both take one out.

  The guys start taking the food out of the bag. "You only got four, that's a bit mean."

  I wait for Amie and Tanya to take a bite of their cupcake. I thought the chili powder was good, never saw it coming, so I thought I would do something they’d never see coming.

  “What the hell!” Tanya shouts running to the sink and spitting out the cupcake. Amie follows her. I bring the beer bottle to my lips hiding my smile. “I need some water,” Tanya rummages through my cupboard for a glass.

  I turn to Emma looking at the cupcakes they threw on the table. She bites her bottom lip but I see her smiling to herself.

  The girls walk back over to the couch and drink a glass of water. Amie looks over to me. “You know payback's a bitch,” she points at me.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I picked them up from where I normally get them. What’s wrong with them?” I walk over to the table and look in the box. I look at Blake and Marc as they both look in the box and start laughing.

  “Don’t act so smart, you did something.” Tanya looks at the box again.

  “The cakes are from Rivers Cakes, owned by this man right here,” Emma points to me. “I knew nothing about this, he texted them about the order.”

  Tanya and Amie eye Emma up, then back to me, then back to Emma. "If you three could excuse us a moment," Tanya grabs Emma's arm, pulls her to the balcony and shuts the door so we can't hear them.

  I can see them both talking to her at the same time. “What’s that about?” Blake stands next to me as we watch them.

  “I have no idea how, but I think they found out I kissed Emma.” Do girls have this sixth sense about each other if they spend a lot of time together?

  "Was it good?" Marc asks. All three of us are in a line drinking our beer watching the girls talking. "Are they even going to let Emma talk?"

  "Doesn't look like it. I hope the sex is half as good as she kisses because I was as hard as a rock," I tell them both as I look at Emma who finally gets a chance to talk. I hope she is telling them the same thing. I plan on getting her in my bed a lot sooner than August.

  They walk back in and they stand in front of us. "Let the games begin," Amie tells me but she looks at the other two as well. She sits down and Emma sits next to her. Tanya stands her ground and I look over at her again. She says nothing but gives me a smile and a wink then joins the girls on the couch.

  I might finally have someone that will help me out if I need it, but I think I have this covered, for now.

  Chapter 13

  Emma

  The last three weeks have been long and hard. Ocean has made sure he has been around every day. Even if I had nothing to do, he was there. He hasn't tried to kiss me again. I’m happy and pissed about it. I still get excited when I think about that kiss. He took control of my body and I was more than happy to give it all to him too.

  Taking the last things out of the car, I take them to the garden and start setting everything up for the party this afternoon. The cupcake prank was a good one from Ocean. No one suspected a thing as we’re not dating, but the girls are very impressed. Mayonnaise and chili sauce filled cupcakes. I can’t think of anything worse than that.

  "You said you were coming at twelve. So, when my mum called to say you were here. I was a little hurt you lied to me." I turn around as Ocean walks over to me. I can see the cheeky smile on his face. The time I've spent with him this month has been so nice. I liked him before but now, even though we haven't had sex, or been on a date, or anything, I believe any girl could easily fall in love with Ocean Rivers. It's been a month of opening doors for me, taking the bags from me, saying nice things about me. It's not just that, the things I've heard him say about his family and friends. This man is too good to be true and for some reason, he is still chasing me.

  “I didn’t lie. I was going to come at twelve, but I woke up early so I thought I would get started.” Ocean leans down and gives me a kiss on the cheek, as he does he stays close to me.

  “You smell incredible,” he whispers, his hot breath tickles my skin.

  "I thought we could get the cinema set up first." Ocean pulls away from me, his eyes just watching. I study his face and his lips curl up into a smile.

  “I know it’s killing you, just as it is me. You want to touch me? Touch me. You want to kiss me? Then kiss me. Emma, I want us to give it a go, so…”

  “Ocean,” I look behind him as his mum walks over to us. I look away for a second then back to him. Ocean never took his eyes off me.

  He’s right. I want to kiss him. I want him to touch me but Betty is starting to get more and more eager to sell. I get the feeling they are trying to push me out, and I need this wedding under my belt. I can’t afford for anything to go wrong, no matter how much I want to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him.

  "Nice to see you again, Emma. I hope he's not giving you too much trouble." She stands next to Ocean. I know Ocean told his mum he is trying to win me over because he told me himself. He said he asked his mum for advice. I thought it was sweet that he's so close to her.

  “Hello Anna, nothing new from him,” I reply as I look back over at Ocean. I swear it feels like he is having sex with me in his head. I can feel his eyes burning my skin and he knows it’s affecting me. He gives me a wink.

  Anna looks between Ocean and me but says nothing about how he is looking at me. "We have to pop out, but we will be back later." She gives Ocean a kiss on the cheek. "Emma, this looks like it's going to make Cassie very happy."

  “I hope so. Ocean said he will keep me updated if anything is not to her liking.”

  “I will be texting a lot more than that.” I shake my head at him. He hasn’t texted me in the last three weeks. He has been at my office before I even get there with white coffee, latte or tea and some cake for me. Then he stays with me until I finish for the day that way he can take me to dinner. Even though I haven’t agreed to a date with him, it really does feel like we are dating, just without the sex.

  “Right, I will let you two get this all set up.” Ocean walks with his mum back to the house. I watch him wrap his arms around her, it’s nice. I don’t have that with my parents. Mum calls when she needs to moan about Dad, and Dad calls when he wants to complain about Mum and the her boyfriend. I feel like a tennis ball bouncing back and forth, listening to them complain about one other.

  I start setting things up by the table.

  "Want to look at the cake
?" Ocean puts the box on the table. He takes the lid off and I stare at the cake.

  "Oh my God, Ocean that's beautiful," I look at the three-tier cake with the words ‘She Said YES’. I think this is one of the most beautiful cakes I've ever seen.

  "Can we talk about something? I promise it's not about a date," his voice has changed, it's more serious this time. I sit down to give him my full attention. "I remember you telling me about your work problems and how your boss is trying to play you. Long story short, I want you to sign these." Ocean puts some papers in front of me and I look at them.

  The papers say he’ll only make cakes for Emma’s wedding planning. I don’t get this, I look up at Ocean.

  "Your boss found out where I work from one of the boxes I sent you. She wants me to sign a contract saying that my wedding cakes will only be made for their weddings. Now normally I say no straight away without thinking about it. I'm a business and a business should be open to working with anyone. I’m learning wedding planning is different. I mean I don't know how it works."

  "I have certain contacts that if I call them, they have to work with me over other clients. But if I don't need them, they can work with who they want. I don't expect my clients to only work for me. It's not fair." I look at the paper again. "You haven't signed it?"

  "No, you might think this is crazy, but if I'm signing with anyone it’ll be you."

  “Ocean, I can’t ask you to do this. I mean you would be losing a lot of money. I won’t have enough money to do anything for a while.” I can’t let him do this.. “Are you doing this so I will date you?”

  Ocean starts laughing. "No, this is not for me to get a date. This is to show you I know a good business deal from a bad business deal. I mean your boss looks like the devil. I feel like she is trying to screw you over somehow."

  "Ocean, don't sign it then. But I'm not signing this until I know I can pay you for your service." His heart in is the right place. He knows I'm not doing this job for the money. I'm doing it because I love it, the same as him. He loves his bakery and he loves baking.